The KFC Big Bash league franchise Melbourne Renegades skipper and Australian top-order batsman Aaron Finch might be considered as a Twenty20 skipper for the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka which is scheduled from February 17 in Melbourne.
As Smith is gearing up for a four-match Test series in India from February 23, Cricket Australia is likely to assign the job to the Victorian-born Finch.
The former Aussie skipper Ricky Ponting has stated that Finch would play the perfect role as a skipper for the national side in shorter format by terming him as the ‘strong contender’. However, he has also stressed that he was not assigned the job – to pick and choose the players.
“He’s been captain in the past, he’s in terrific form and you’d think he’s going to be in the team,” Ponting was quoted as saying by bigbash.com.au.
The 42-year-old right-handed batsman Ponting has been announced as the assistant coach for Australia for the first time.
“I’m not sure what other names the selectors are tossing around, but to me it seems like a pretty good fit,” Ponting added.
The Tasmania-born Ponting will be training the Men in Baggy Green alongside former fast bowler Jason Gillespie and Justin Langer.
The 30-year-old Finch has led Renegades to four wins from eight matches in the ongoing BBL edition.
Finch was replaced by Steven Smith as a T20 leader last year for ICC T20 World Cup event in India.
“I honestly haven’t thought about it to be honest … if selection goes my way, great,” Finch was quoted as saying bigbash.com.au after thrilling one-run win over Heat.
While being among the runs, Finch is pushing himself to meet the chances of leading the side in T20Is.
The right-handed batsman Finch, who has played 28 T20Is for Australia, had led the national side for 17 months since 2014 in six-match tenure.
“(The T20 captaincy) can be tough – there’s usually one game tacked onto the end of a series, or sometimes you play two or three and then you don’t play another few for 12 months or so,” Finch added.
In the KFC Big Bash League game at Gabba, Finch has scored 35-ball 71 against Brisbane Heat on Friday night in a do-or-die clash for his side which included four sixes and six boundaries.
“I think you look back at the opportunities you had and think what could you have done different,” Finch remarked.
Earlier, Finch missed the three-match T20 series against Sri Lanka last September after suffering from a broken finger. He returned in three-match Chappell-Hadlee ODI series in December last year.
Finch has played some fine knocks for his side in the T20s. In 2013, he has smashed 63-ball 156 against England which is the highest individual score in T20Is.